General Educational Development Reasoning Through Language Arts
Main ideas, evidence, inferences, and grammar in short original passages.
GED is a registered trademark of GED Testing Service LLC. FreeExam is not affiliated with GED Testing Service, and these questions are original practice, not an official test.
Locker Room Note
The warehouse posted a note on the locker-room door before the night shift. Workers should store phones in their lockers, wear the yellow vests from the hook, and sign the board only after the floor lead calls their name. The note says the change lasts this week while new scanners are tested.
Laundry Hours Card
A card on the laundry-room door lists hours for the building. Washers may be started from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The last dryer cycle must finish by 10 p.m. Residents who need a later load can use the machines in the community center on Maple Street.
Pantry Crate Labels
At the food pantry, volunteers labeled two crates before the doors opened. The crate marked today held bread and milk dated for this week. The crate marked hold held cans dated three months out, and the coordinator said those cans would go out only if the today crate emptied.
Garden Bench Note
A handwritten note was taped to the new garden bench. You all showed up with shovels before sunrise, and the beds look cared for. I am grateful, and I hope you sit here when the tomatoes ripen. The writer signed it as the plot captain.
Crosstown Review
A rider wrote a short review of the new crosstown bus. The bus is reliable on weekdays, the review says. It arrived within three minutes of the posted time on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Sunday the trip was canceled, so the writer discusses weekdays only.
Mileage Slip
A slip on the van dashboard reads, Each driver need to record the mileage before leaving the lot. The rest of the slip asks for the date and the name of the site.
Tool Library Card
The tool library printed a card for first-time borrowers. A person shows a photo ID, pays a ten-dollar deposit, and may take home one power tool and two hand tools. The deposit is returned when every item comes back clean and on time.
Water Shutoff
Building management slid a notice under every door on Tuesday. The water will be off on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. so a corroded valve on the third floor can be replaced. Residents are asked to fill pitchers on Wednesday night.
Tutoring Clipboard
A clipboard at the community center says tutoring pairs meet in Room 2 on Thursdays. The tutor writes that adults who missed two sessions in a row should talk with the desk before sitting down, because the seat may have been given to someone on the waiting list.
Clinic Text
The clinic sent a short text the evening before an appointment. Please arrive ten minutes early and bring the card you were given last visit. If you are running late, reply to this message so the desk can offer the slot to the next person. We would rather hear from you than guess.
Bin Labels
A poster by the recycling bins claims the alley stays cleaner when people flatten boxes. The poster points to last month, when flattened boxes fit in one bin and loose boxes overflowed into two extra bags that split on the curb.
Gate Note
A note on the courtyard gate says, Their going to lock the gate at dusk, so late visitors should use the buzzer. The name of the superintendent is printed at the bottom.
Orientation Agenda
The job-training office handed out an agenda for Monday orientation. New trainees tour the shop, receive a time card, and practice the sign-in tablet. The agenda says no one starts a machine until the safety quiz is finished.
Lunch Board
The senior center posted the Thursday lunch board. Tomato soup and a roll are served at 11:30. A vegetarian plate is available if a person tells the desk by Wednesday at 4. Coffee is self-serve after the line closes.
Co-op Bench
The bike co-op keeps a bench of loaner pumps near the door. A sign says the pumps are for quick fixes during open hours and must be back on the bench before a person leaves. Last week a pump left in the alley was missing a gauge the next morning.
Quiet Hours Letter
The tenants association sent a letter about quiet hours. We have asked twice, and music is still shaking the walls after 10. Starting Friday, complaints will be written down and shared with management. Please turn the volume down so everyone can sleep.
Token Booth
The market manager wrote that wooden tokens keep the line moving. On Saturday, shoppers with tokens paid in a few seconds, while shoppers counting coins held up the booth. The manager wants tokens sold at the gate before noon.
Lobby Meeting
A flyer in the lobby says, The committee meet on Tuesday to review the hallway paint. Neighbors may listen from the chairs along the wall.
Pickup Plan
The childcare co-op sent a pickup plan to working parents. Each child has one named adult for the 5:30 door. If that adult is delayed, a backup name already on the card may sign the child out. Children stay in the story corner until a listed adult arrives.
Pass Kiosk
A sticker on the bus-pass kiosk gives reload steps. Insert the card, choose a seven-day or thirty-day pass, and pay with cash or a debit card. The new dates print on the receipt. A damaged card must be taken to the service window on Oak Street.
Evening Class
The community college posted a note about the evening writing class. The room change to 214 is only for this Wednesday because 210 is being waxed. Students who arrive at 210 will find a paper arrow pointing down the hall. The instructor will start at the usual time.
Pipe Apology
The landlord left a letter after a pipe leaked into two closets. I am sorry your coats were soaked, and I should have answered the first call faster. A dryer and hangers are in the lobby tonight, and the plumber returns at 8 a.m. Thank you for your patience while we put this right.
Huddle Sheet
The shift lead claims the new cone layout prevents forklift near-misses. The huddle sheet notes that near-miss reports fell from six last month to one this month after cones marked the walkway. The sheet asks walkers to stay inside the cones.
Pool Sign
A sign by the community pool reads, Its time to close the pool when lightning is within the count rule. Swimmers should leave the water and wait in the lobby.
Volunteer Fair
The neighborhood newsletter described Saturday's volunteer fair in the gym. Tables will recruit tutors, meal packers, and park-cleanup crews. People can sign up on the spot or take a sheet home. The fair's purpose is to match neighbors with one regular task.
Shed Hours
A chalkboard on the garden shed lists open hours. Members may borrow tools on Tuesday and Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The shed stays locked on Sunday. A member who needs a tool on Sunday can ask the captain on Saturday.
Spare Key Envelope
The front desk keeps spare keys in labeled envelopes. A resident who is locked out must show an ID that matches the apartment number. The desk log from March shows that unmatched IDs were turned away, even when the person knew the mailbox number.
Lap Note
The pool coach left a note for adult lap swimmers. You held your pace for all twenty minutes, and that consistency will help on Saturday. Keep the same stroke count, and do not add a sprint at the end tomorrow. I am proud of the control you showed.
Budget Workshop
The library claims the Wednesday budget workshop helps people spot small leaks in spending. In the flyer, three participants found a forgotten subscription and canceled it before they left the room. The workshop uses sample bills, not anyone's real account number.
Sink Message
A message on the building app says, The sink leaks, the landlord will send a plumber on Friday. Please use the other kitchen until then.
Street Fair Booth
The block association described its street-fair booth. Volunteers will hand out maps, sell bottled water, and point guests toward the first-aid tent. The booth is the place to ask where a performance is happening, not a stage itself.
Hold Shelf
A library email explains the hold shelf. A reserved book waits for three days. If it is not picked up, it returns to the stacks or goes to the next person in line. The email says to bring the card used to place the hold.
Snow Route
The transit alert says the hill route will skip Maple Court whenever snow is deeper than three inches. Riders on that block are told to walk to the stop at Pine, two streets east. The alert adds that the skip ends when plows clear the hill.
Editorial on Fines
A short editorial in the neighborhood paper questions the new library fines. The writer asks where the money goes and whether a fine mainly punishes families who already struggle to return books. The piece ends by urging the board to publish the numbers before the rule spreads.
Park Cleanup
The parks crew claims early gloves and bags cut afternoon litter. The crew log shows that on the Saturday when volunteers worked at 8 a.m., the afternoon sweep filled one bag, compared with four bags on a Saturday with no morning crew.
Quiet Hour Petition
The petition on the lobby table says, The tenants wants a later quiet hour on Fridays only. Names can be added until Sunday.
Coat Drive Box
The community center set a box by the gym for a winter coat drive. Clean coats in adult and child sizes are accepted through November 20. A volunteer sorts sizes on Saturday morning and delivers the boxes to the shelter on Monday. Torn coats are set aside for the sewing table, not the shelter bag.
Apron Hook
A strip above the workshop apron hooks lists the closing check. Hang the apron, sweep the bench, and write the time in the log. The last person out locks the yellow cabinet. Oil-soaked rags go in the metal can, not the paper bin.
Break Room Schedule
The factory posted a break-room schedule for the line that runs past midnight. Crews eat in two waves so the machines are never all unattended. The second wave starts only after the first wave has badged back in. A clipboard shows who is in which wave.
Choir Welcome
The community choir sent a welcome to new adult singers. There is a seat for you, and a wrong note on the first night is part of learning the line. Listen once, then join in. We are glad you came, and we will run the hard passage slowly.
Return Desk
The hardware store claims its new return desk shortens the wait. A sign reports that on Friday the old register line averaged twenty-two minutes, while the return desk averaged six. Receipts are still required for a cash refund.
Ballot Count
The poll-worker handbook includes this sentence: Me and Jordan counted the unused ballots before sealing the box. The count is written on the cover sheet.
Compost Caddy
The apartment compost program gave each floor a counter caddy and a short guide. Food scraps go in the caddy, and a floor captain empties it into the brown cart on Wednesday and Saturday. The guide's point is to keep scraps out of the hallway trash.
Bookmobile Stop
A card in the laundromat window lists the bookmobile stop. The van parks at the corner of 5th and Vine on the second Tuesday of each month from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Library cards can be made on the van. Returns go in the slot by the driver's door.
Registration Line
The evening office wrote that registration closes when the last chair in the waiting row is filled or at 7 p.m., whichever comes first. On the first night the chairs filled at 6:40, and people still in the hall were given a slip for the next session.
Late Reply
A neighbor answered a noise complaint with a short note. You were right to knock, and I lost track of the hour. The speaker is unplugged now, and I will keep the next gathering in the early evening. I appreciate the warning instead of a colder report.
Tip Jar Policy
The cafe claims a labeled tip jar is fairer than an open bowl. The owner wrote that labeled shares for the counter and the kitchen stopped arguments that had happened on three Fridays when the bowl was unlabeled. Staff initial the log when the jar is counted.
Nail Box
A label on the workbench says, The box of nails are on the lower shelf. Please put the hammer back beside it.
Ferry Slip
The community ferry posted a slip about the weekday midday run. Walk-on riders board first, then bicycles, then the two cars that fit. The slip's purpose is to keep the midday crossing on time when the tide window is short.
Printer Card
The library printer card lists prices. A black-and-white page costs ten cents. A color page costs fifty cents. Double-sided printing counts each side as a page. Guests pay at the desk before the job is released.
Package Room
The package room log says oversized boxes stay on the floor rack for two days. If a box is still there on the third morning, the clerk calls the resident once and then moves the box to the office. The log notes that unmarked boxes are never placed on a resident's shelf.
Mural Captain
The mural captain wrote to the painting crew. The wall looks uneven because we rushed the second coat, and that is on me. Tomorrow we sand only the bubbled strip and repaint it. Bring patience, not extra colors. I trust this group to finish it cleanly.
Energy Visit
The home-energy team claims a fifteen-minute visit can find drafts a resident has stopped noticing. In one apartment the team traced a whistle to a gap under the back door, and a rolled towel at that gap stopped the whistle the same hour. The visit does not replace a licensed repair.
Key Sentence
The front-desk script says, Please give the spare key to Ana and I before you leave for the shift. The script is taped inside the drawer.
Comment Night
The community board reminded residents about public comment night. Speakers sign up at the door, have two minutes, and must talk about an item already on the agenda. The reminder's point is to let residents address the board without turning the meeting into an open argument.
Cafeteria Tray
A sign above the cafeteria tray return gives three steps. Scrape food into the green bin, stack plates by color, and set cups in the rack mouth down. Trays with silverware still on them are sent back to the table.
Shift Swap Board
The warehouse swap board allows a trade only when both workers have initialed the card and the lead has circled it before noon. A card with one initial sat on the board all afternoon and was not honored at the gate. The lead wrote that an uncircled card is only a wish.
Sewing Note
The sewing instructor left a note after class. Your seam was straight, and the bobbin trouble was not your fault. Try the same stitch on scrap cloth once before you touch the good fabric. I am glad you stayed to the end.
Walk Audit
The block club claims brighter porch lights make the evening walk easier to staff. The audit notes that on nights when eight porches were lit, two volunteers finished the route, and on a dark night the same route was left half done. The club asks for lights, not new sidewalks.
Report Line
The shift log contains this line: The incident report was wrote yesterday and filed in the red folder. The folder stays in the office drawer.
Free Museum Hour
The museum flyer describes a free hour for neighborhood adults on the first Sunday morning. Guests enter at the side door, pick up a timed ticket, and may visit one gallery. The flyer's point is to offer a short visit without the regular admission charge.
Parking Permit
The guest-parking permit lists the rules in the lobby. A permit is valid for 24 hours, must sit on the dashboard, and covers the row marked G. Cars in row G without a permit may be ticketed after 8 a.m. The office issues two permits per apartment each month.
Community Fridge
The community fridge note says prepared food should be labeled with the date it was made and eaten within two days. An unlabeled soup left on Monday was discarded on the Tuesday check. The note adds that sealed pantry cans may stay for the week.
Driver Roster
The volunteer driver roster includes a line to new drivers. You will not be sent across town on your first evening. Ride along, learn the list, and call if a passenger is not outside. We would rather you ask than guess.
Goggles Rule
The shop claims the goggles rule is the reason eye injuries dropped. The safety board shows two eye injuries in the month before the rule and none in the two months after everyone had to wear goggles at the grinder. Ear protection is a separate rule.
Shed Key Sentence
A text from the garden captain says, She don't have a key to the shed, so meet her at the gate. The text was sent to the Tuesday crew.
Seed Swap
The garden club posted a plan for the seed swap. Neighbors bring labeled envelopes, take no more than three packets, and leave extras in the tray. The plan's purpose is to share seed without turning the table into a sale.
Overtime Note
The payroll note on the break-room board explains Saturday overtime. Hours over eight on Saturday pay at time and a half. A worker must have the lead's initials on the card before noon on Friday. Cards turned in on Saturday morning are paid at the regular rate.
Ice Ramp
The center posted two lines on the door. The side door is closed today. Because the ramp was icy at dawn and has not been salted. Staff may enter through the lobby.
Donation Receipts
The pantry desk described its receipt routine. A donor who wants a receipt prints a name and the date on the log, and the desk stamps the yellow copy. The routine exists so donors leave with proof of what they dropped off.
Transfer Slip
The bus transfer slip lists a time limit. A rider who pays a single fare may request a slip and must board the second bus within 90 minutes. The slip shows the time it was issued. A slip that is torn is not accepted.
Quiet Room Lamp
The library quiet room allows one lamp per table after 6 p.m. A reader who needs to talk is asked to step into the lobby. The staff note says that yesterday a group moved as soon as the lamp rule was pointed out, and the room stayed hushed.
Closing Duties
The cafe closer left a blunt list. I should not have left the pastry case unlocked, and the morning lead was right to write it up. From now on the case is locked before the mats come up. Do not skip that step to leave faster.
Inventory Drop
The stock lead claims the new shelf labels cut miscounts. The weekly sheet shows 14 miscounts before labels and 3 the week after labels were added to the small-parts aisle. The lead still wants a second person on the paint aisle.
Rate Card
The community van's rate card says, The night rate is cheaper then the day rate for trips after 8 p.m. Riders pay the driver before the van leaves.
Janitor Checklist
The night janitor's checklist hangs by the supply closet. Lock the roof door, restock the first-floor soap, and leave the wet-floor sign up until the lobby tile dries. The checklist exists so the morning crew inherits a safe, supplied building.
Lab Hours
A poster lists computer-lab hours for adult learners. The lab is open Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday hours are noon to 3 p.m. Printing stops fifteen minutes before close. A staff member must be in the room for the door to stay unlocked.
Permit Window
The parks office wrote that block-party permits are reviewed on Wednesdays. An application that arrives after noon on Tuesday waits until the next Wednesday. Last week a Tuesday afternoon form was stamped for the following week, not for the coming Saturday.
Kiln Note
The pottery teacher wrote on the studio door. The kiln cools slowly on purpose, and opening it early cracks the pots. Please wait for the green tag. I know the wait is long, and I am glad you care about the pieces you made.
Pallet Labels
The warehouse lead claims color labels cut shipping mistakes. The log shows 11 misloads in the week before labels and 2 in the week after red meant fragile and blue meant outbound. The lead still counts pallets by hand at the dock.
Dolly Sign
A sign beside the lobby dolly says, Your welcome to borrow the dolly if you bring it back within an hour. Leave your apartment number on the clipboard.
Stall Map
The market manager posted a stall map for Saturday. Bakers use stalls 1 through 4, produce uses 5 through 10, and prepared food uses the end row near the hand-wash sink. The map's purpose is to put foods that need washing near the water.
Shadow Day
The job-shadow sheet lists the day for adult visitors. Visitors sign in at 8:30, wear a guest badge, and stay with the named host. They may not enter the paint room. Lunch is in the break room at noon, and badges are returned at 2.
Hose Board
The rooftop garden board says the hose may be used for ten minutes at a time so the shared tank can recover. A plot that ran the hose for half an hour on Sunday left the tank too low for the next two plots. The board asks members to use a watering can when the tank gauge is under half.
Refund Window
The class office sent a plain note about refunds. If we cancel a class, you should not have to chase us. The refund goes back to the card you used, within ten business days. Keep your receipt, and write us if the tenth day passes with nothing returned.
Salt Bucket
The building claims a salt bucket by the side door cuts winter slips. The incident book shows four slips on that step in January, before the bucket, and none in February after residents started using it. A mat was already there in both months.
Delivery Line
The dispatch note says, The delay will effect the delivery time for the evening route. Drivers should call the customers on that list.
Survey Table
The block club set a survey table at the weekend market. Neighbors can mark whether they want a crosswalk, a bench, or both, and drop the card in a box. The table's purpose is to learn which small project the block should request first.
Rehearsal Call
The orchestra call sheet lists Sunday times. Strings arrive at 1 p.m. Winds arrive at 1:30. The full group runs the last piece at 2:15. Anyone who will miss a call must text the librarian before noon.
Lost Bin
The gym lost-and-found bin is emptied on the first Monday of the month. Items with a name are held at the desk for two extra weeks. Unnamed water bottles are recycled on that Monday. A labeled jacket left in March was still at the desk in early April.
Elevator Note
Management taped a note beside the elevator. We know the outage spoiled grocery trips, and we are sorry. The car should run again by Thursday evening. Until then, the freight elevator is open to residents from 4 to 6. Thank you for bearing with a short, frustrating week.
Flag Bucket
The safety team claims corner flags help drivers notice the crosswalk. On a test afternoon, drivers stopped for walkers on 18 of 20 crossings when a walker held a flag, and on 9 of 20 when no flag was used. The team counted only daylight crossings.
Alley Log
The night security log says, The crew didn't see nothing in the alley behind the market. The gate was locked at 11.
Invoice Steps
The workshop invoice slip tells customers how a small repair is billed. The slip lists parts, labor minutes, and the total. Customers initial the total before the tool leaves the bench. The slip's point is to show the charges before the customer walks out.
Water Bill
The water-bill insert explains a high charge. The meter was read on the 3rd, not estimated. A leak allowance requires a plumber's note turned in within 30 days of the bill date. The insert says the due date is still the 20th.
CSA Porch
The pickup note says boxes left on the porch after 7 p.m. are brought back inside and must be collected from the office the next day. A box that sat out last Thursday was wet by morning and could not be saved. Members who arrive by 6 are asked to take the box in at once.
Grant Chair
The grant committee chair wrote to volunteers who missed the draft deadline. The application is stronger with your section in it, and we can still use a paragraph if it arrives tonight. Send what you have. I would rather edit a rough page than leave a blank.
Meal Coupons
The kitchen lead claims numbered coupons stopped double servings at the community meal. The tally shows 80 meals cooked and 80 coupons collected on the first numbered night, after a prior night when 80 meals were cooked and 96 people went through the line. Seconds now require a new coupon from the desk.
Hiring Line
The job notice says, Applicants must file the form, sort a sample packet, and answering the phone for ten minutes. The tryout is on Thursday.
Agenda Slip
The tenants meeting agenda has three items: the hallway lights, the bike room, and a vote on the picnic date. Discussion on each item is limited to fifteen minutes. The agenda's purpose is to finish the meeting in one hour.
Clinic Hours Card
A card lists the community clinic's front-desk hours. The desk answers the phone from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. The door locks at 4, and messages left after 4 are returned the next weekday. Weekend calls go to the after-hours line printed on the back.
Copy Order
The copy shop ticket says a rush order is ready in two hours only if it is placed before 3 p.m. An order placed at 3:30 is marked next morning. The ticket from Tuesday shows a 3:10 order that the clerk moved to Wednesday without a rush fee.
Truck Return
The rental desk left a stern reminder. The truck came back with a quarter tank, and the contract you signed says half. We charged the difference, as the contract allows. Next time, read the fuel line before you drive away. That charge was avoidable.
Sorting Table
The food-shelf lead claims a picture card at the sorting table speeds new volunteers. On a card night, new volunteers finished a crate in 12 minutes. On a night without the card, a similar crate took 20 minutes. The lead uses the same crate size for both trials.
Car Line
A lobby notice says, The resident's must move their cars for the paving crew by 7 a.m. Cars left in the west row may be towed.
Desk Shift
The library volunteer desk has a one-page duty list. Answer the phone, shelve the returned picture books, and walk a guest to the hold shelf when asked. The list's point is to cover the desk when paid staff are in a meeting.
Ballot Envelope
The election-office handout describes an original practice drill for new poll workers, not a live ballot. In the drill, a sealed envelope with a torn corner is set aside and a supervisor is called. Intact sealed envelopes go in the scanner tray. The handout says the drill uses sample paper only.
Night Detour
The night-bus alert says the bridge stop is closed for paving, so the bus will stop one block south at the pharmacy. Riders who wait on the bridge will not be picked up. The alert ends when the paving crew removes the cones, which the crew expects on Friday.